


Broken Chain

by Citron0



Series: here's all the stuff I never wanted to post [2]
Category: Lego Ninjago, The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017)
Genre: Gen, There are other people too but no time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:01:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28776474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Citron0/pseuds/Citron0
Summary: Expands on one of the trailer scenes.
Series: here's all the stuff I never wanted to post [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2109798
Comments: 8
Kudos: 15





	Broken Chain

**Author's Note:**

> If I live, maybe I'll delete all these ficlets I'm posting. who knows?

In the center of a massive crater stood Garmadon, Ninjago's declared most evil man. To his left, several meters out, stood Lloyd, the Green Ninja.

Garmadon shook off the small bits of debris that had found themselves sticking to his chest plate, "I’m going. But I’ll be back! And when I return, I’ll have something really wicked in store for you. Something big! Mwa-ha-ha!” He chortled, the fights he had with his adversary were quite thrilling. Today's skirmish had done considerable damage to the education district of the southern most corner. There was a high school there, but his boy didn't attend it; Garmadon checked his school records beforehand.

“Oh, I’ll be waiting-,” Lloyd glared from his emerald and gold dragon mech. 

Under his breath he added, "-Dad.” How he loathed this man.

“I’m sorry,” Garmadon said, spinning around. “What was that last thing you said?” He could've sworn he heard the Green Ninja call him 'Dad.' There was no one there to answer his query, for the Green Ninja was speeding off away from him. He couldn't be, could he.

Garmadon felt one of his four hands reach out as the name, "La-loyd," died on his lips.

* * *

Back at the Secret Ninja Force's warehouse, Wu disclosed to the team that using they're mechas was preventing them from reaching their true potential. They had abilities locked within them and in order to tap into them they had to stop relying so heavily on their machines.

"But, Master Wu, it's working! With these mechs we have the power to fight off Garmadon! He's fighting with heavy machinery and ammunition-,"

"His soldiers shoot crabs at people," Wu commented with a crooked eyebrow.

Lloyd shook his head, "The point is: we have to fight fire with fire if we intend to win." Wu saw much of Garmadon in his son, and not just because he was practically the spitting image of him.

Cole piped up, "You're asking us to punch planes, Master Wu."

Jay nodded, "There's no way we could kick our way through a tank."

Wu rubbed his temples, "You five," he pointed to the others with his flute-staff, "will be practicing you spinjitzu stretches,"

The group frowned but started to get into their positions.

"For six hundred minutes," they groaned, "Lloyd come with me."

Wu took him into his office, "I understand what you're going through Lloyd, Garmadon is my brother, so I too feel a responsibility to restore balance to Ninjago."

"Then, what's the issue?"

"The 'issue' is," he said with air quotes, "that how you go about solving your problems. You can't solve everything by blasting it to pieces."

"I-," he didn't like where this was going.

"You have to look at things from another point of view, Nephew."  
It was easier just to blindly hate Garmadon than to seek out why he was doing this, or even let him see who he's been fighting for the past six months. He simultaneously did and didn't want to know his foe. He felt like even acknowledging that childish longing for his father in his life would be an act of treason to his city. Destroying him was easier than asking the hard questions, easier than him asking why he abandoned him and his mom. Much easier.

"I know of someone who thinks violence will get him everything thing he wants,"

"Garmadon," Lloyd supplied, he scratched nervously under his arm.

"And he is wrong, he will never be satisfied with the destruction he causes. Even if it makes him feel good at the time," he paused for it to sink in. 

"What?! Destroying stuff doesn't make me feel good!"

"Doesn't it? I can see so much of Garmadon in you, Lloyd."

His hands flew toward his ears, they were pointed and longer than a humans but not by too much; they moved around with his emotions or rotated when he wanted to hear something. Wu's ears were tapered too but they were much wider at their base and had white scales lining the outside. Lloyd's ears were one of the first things people noticed when they saw him. A physical reminder of whom his father was, that, and his teeth.

Wu placed a hand on his shoulder, "Don't feed the darkness in your heart; instead, ask why it's there."

Lloyd's eyes fixated on the wooden floors of the dock, "It's not darkness, it's just anger." 

He clinched his fists as he shrugged Wu's hand off, "And I don't need to 'ask why it's there' it's because _Garmadon is always attacking Ninjago City!"_

"Are you sure that's the only reason?" 

'Well, no,' he thought. A small part of him was hiding behind the anger, he didn't want to think about what he really wanted; so he relented, ears drooping some, "I'd gladly give up being the Green Ninja, if I could be normal. Where everyone didn't hate me because of whom my father is." He clawed at the armchair's arm with his claw-like nails, then immediately stopped when he noticed what he was doing.

"Sorry."

"It's fine."

"Why does it matter how we beat Garmadon, as long as we beat him?” Lloyd asked, trying to get back on topic and off of him.

"Because, Nephew, if you fight fire with fire, it just makes more fire. Haven't you realized that by now?" Lloyd couldn't make eye-contact with his mentor, but he rarely did with anyone so Wu never took offense to it. Lloyd only ever made eye contact with Garmadon, but he actually always staring at his outfit or those glowing red eyes of his. Lloyd had a quite fear that he'd wake up and see himself resembling Garmadon in the mirror. He was nothing like his father! He refused to be anyone but himself. Why must everyone see him as only his _father's son?_

"I sense a great turmoil in your heart. Only when you find balance, will you find your missing piece." 

'As cryptic as ever, Master Wu.'

Lloyd huffed and stood up, "I'm going home, I shouldn't keep my mom waiting."

"Very well, remember what we talked about."

"Yeah, of course," it seemed like every bone in his arm wanted to punch something, it vibrated tense, like a cat ready to pounce.

* * *

As Lloyd grabbed his things and left, Wu was reminded of how Garmadon used to act when they fought together in the Serpentine Wars.

* * *

_"Wu, I don't understand what the big deal is." Garmadon, before his eyes changed, before he embraced himself wholly, he had black hair like Cole's tied into a bun on his head for convenience and green eyes._

_"Why's it matter how we defeat the snakes? If they're defeated, they're defeated and out of our hair."_

_Wu, beardless, was trying to calm himself with his flute, "Garmadon, I just don't know if what we're doing is right."_

_"It gets the job done, doesn't it?" Garmadon gained a thirst for something in the Wars that could never truly be quenched. He wanted power more than two arms to dish out. When Wu rejected him, Garmadon looked within himself for strength and ended up calling forth his Oni heritage, their father, well, he wasn't around any more to his voice his disapproval, now was he?_

_Wu was appalled to see his brother in the fighting tournament with darkened skin and four arms. His eyes were always red, but they shined with a vigor that Wu had never seen in him prior. Everyone saw him as a monster, save for a few, instead of fighting it, he embraced the title. Conquering all of the half of Ninjago that was always draped in shadow within the span of fifty years._

_"Better to be feared than loved," Garmadon told him. He'd change his mind after meeting a certain someone on the battlefield. The warlord already had himself the Skulken army at his disposal when fighting off the Anacondrai. Eventually, he deemed the skeletons too incompetent for Ninjago City and left them to guard his other territories. He felt good, but ever since his ex-wife left him, he's felt a void inside that explosions and fired General Number One's can't fix._

* * *

"Mom, I'm back," Lloyd announced as he took off his shoes outside of his shared apartment.

"Oh, Lloyd, good to see you. How was school?"

"It was fine, Mom."

"That's good, I made your favorite for dinner."

Lloyd sat mutely at the table and quickly stuffed the dumplings into his face. He craved something crunchy, like burnt toast. His skin felt hot. Koko approached him and placed a hand to his forehead.

"Lloyd, are you feeling alright?"

"I– I don't know, I'm going to my room."

"Alright, sweetie, I'll bring you water and some crackers in a bit, okay?"

"Okay."

He set his backpack down and started looking through it for finished assignments.

'Ugh,' he growled, he hated how everyone kept comparing him to his father. Even Wu did it! His thoughts were louder than the cries of the tearing paper.   
'The nerve they had!' He kicked his bed frame, grabbing the cheap pillow that fell on the ground and sinking his nails into them, freeing the stuffing. He sunk his twelve fangs, his canines and the two others that sat adjacent to the molars, six total on each side of his mouth. He stilled when he felt cloth in his maw. He spat it out, disgusted. What was wrong with him, he hadn't done anything like this since he was like six. His ear twitched in the direction of the doorknob as it swiveled.

"Lloyd, I'm coming in, okay?"

She didn't gasp, she just handed him his drink and crackers saying, "Oh, Lloyd."

He looked around him, his room was a mess!

"I didn't mean to—,"

"I know you didn't. Is there something you wanna talk about?"

"I," he swallowed thickly, "I wanted to ask about," he looked away, biting his lip, "Dad."

* * *

Meanwhile, at Garmadon's fortified volcano lair.

"Nerds!" He shouted slamming a mug that had 'A Dad' scribbled across its surface with a sharpie.

"Get me everything on La-loyd!"

"N-not that we're asking, but why the interest in your son now?"

"The why's aren't that important, just get me that kid's phone number!"

"On it, sir!"

"Oh, and you," he pointed to another scientist, "Work on expanding the range of your shield, it protected me, but if it can protect the entire mech than I'd be invincible!" And, he'd be able to trap the Green Ninja inside long enough to take off his mask. He was itching to know who he was. Before today, he couldn't have been bothered, but if he's actually his son, then that changes everything. Even if the shields couldn't be expanded wide enough, his next plan of attack would be to take a piece from the Green Ninja's gi and use it to find him. It has to have some kind of DNA on it: hair, blood, sweat, even his scent would be good. He flicked his serpent-like tongue, he'd be able to track his scent if need be. He could vaguely tell where he was if he concentrated, so it was doable. But wasn't everything to the Lord Garmadon? Perhaps.

"W-we got his number, sir."

He saved the number into his contacts, "Good, I'll give him a call in the morning, we'll need a voice sample." And a good look at his eyes, a face chat was necessary. He probably had only one shot until La-loyd would get a new number or block him.

* * *

The night came and went, Garmadon prepared leftover popcorn shrimp in the microwave as he checked the time, "6:57," if he called then Lloyd could be waking up or still be asleep, best to wait 'til 7 sharp. Should he play dumb, so if La-loyd didn't want to say who he was he'd do it then? Sure why not. Pretend it was a butt dial, even though that should be impossible if he didn't already have the number saved to his contacts, kids don't think that much into things.

He took a bite from his shrimp and called him.

If this number ended up being the wrong number he was going to fire someone; but he trusted his nerds, they were a fairly competent bunch.

"Hello?" He heard the voice of a kid who just woke up. His tow blond hair was a sign he got the right kid, for his was about the same shade.

"Who is this?" He said in his best oblivious voice.

The kid's jade eyes widened, he could never forget seeing those eyes when he held La-loyd in his arms, did they always have a glimmer to them?

The boy calmed his demeanor, "Uh, you called me?" His teeth were too sharp to be human, good start.

"I must've butt-dialed you," the teenager was in a plain, long-sleeved pajama top from what he could see. It didn't even have volcanos on it like his.

"Sure, whatever, I'm so not doing this today." Lloyd rolled out of bed, briefly showing his room to his father in the process.

"Busy night?" His knowing grin infuriated and embarrassed Lloyd.

La-loyd blushed when he glanced at the paper pieces scattered about, he had forgotten to clean them up, "That's none of your business, Dad!" It was one thing for him to do it, but it was another for the person he was being compared to to see it.

Lloyd wilted, grumbling inaudibly, "Ugh, I shouldn't have said that," he dragged a hand across his face, "Why do you have this number?"

"To talk to you, Son." La-loyd winced at the title.

"Nope, I'm so blocking you. Bye." He hung up.

Garmadon took in a breath, that could've gone better.

Regardless, "Nerds! Run the analysis, and have that shield ready!" Shuffles of papers and shoes muffled the crackling of the fireplace.

* * *

Lloyd went about his morning routine, grooming, tidying up, etc.; as he reached the brushing teeth step he dropped his toothpaste container when he saw his reflection. Were-were his eyes glowing? He turned off the lights. He turned them back on and hollered, "Mom!"

Koko was by his side swiftly, "What happened?"

"Can I skip school today?" Vibrant green tracks of fire were sliding down his face. He sniffled, spooked by what was happening to him.

His mom dabbed fires with a wad of toilet papers which she ran over water when finished.

"Lloyd, it's okay, you're fourteen, this is just puberty."

"Somehow I doubt that. Please don't tell me I'm going to grow up to be like Dad. I don't really want four arms." 

"Lloyd, you're not going to have four arms, and even if you do, I'll love you anyway." She wrapped him into a hug.

"So, uh, Dad called me a few minutes ago. I blocked him."

"What was his number? Can you text me it?"

"Why?"

"Because if something happens to my baby boy, and it ends up being his fault, well," she winked with the shake of her phone, "I'll send him my regards." He chuckled with her.  
"What? I bought the family plan for a reason!"

Bidding their farewells, Lloyd went on his regular commune to school. He decided to sleep on the way, it was a fragile sleep that would break if his form jostled ever so slightly forward.  
His phone was buzzing in his pocket, he picked up the call not recognizing the number in an adrenaline-induced haze.  
"Moshi-moshi, La-loyd!"   
Lloyd couldn't breathe for few seconds, so Garmadon kept talking, "What? Did you think I'd stop calling?"  
He hung up, chest tight knowing the other half of the bus was watching him.  
"Was that Garmadon?"  
"I'd recognize his voice from anywhere."  
Eyes shut, 'Breathe in, breathe out,' he tried to focus on his breathing.  
The vibration snapped him out of his stupor again, another unknown number. He hastly plugged in his headphone jack and accepted the call. Surprise, surprise: it was Lord Garmadon.  
"I have so many Generals, it'll take a long time for me to burn through all their phones. When I say a long time, I mean a _long_ time  
"Did I catch you at a bad time?" His finger pressed the red phone button almost as soon as it appeared on screen.

> _Vvvvvvvrh, Vvvvvvvvrh_.

Any hope of getting extra sleep was out the window.  
Glaring, his eyes flashed a brighter green, "Haven't you gotten the hint that I don't want to talk to you!?"  
"I'm trying to make up for lost time."  
"I don't want you in my life. **Get out**!" He hated it when his voice did the growl thing, but if it keeps Garmadon away, then whatever.

There seemed to be way more kids going to his school after the last attack. His missiles didn't destroy a school with kids inside, did it? On second thought, he didn't need to know. He rushed to meet Zane at their usual spot.

In his first period history class with Mr. Peterson, a figure walked in with a paper schedule in their hand.

"Pardon, is this Mr. Peterson's class?"

"Yes, may I see your schedule? Good, this is the right period, take a seat anywhere." He caught himself before continuing, "Just introduce yourself first."

A sloppy gradient of lavenders dyed whatever natural hair color the new student could've had. Their hair was much shorter on their right side, only going down the middle of the ear, while their left side fell just above their shoulder. Stranger wore a tired expression, the natural glint over their almost cerise eyes gave it the glossiness of fatigue, "I'm Ambush," pronounced like 'Omboosh.'

"And if it matters," they began, unperturbed, "The Mayor's my mom," They did a half bow and promptly sat in the back of the class, in Lloyd's column. After that, class went along as it did, the new kid didn't speak a word and was doodling eyes on their schoolwork. The navy red hoodie they wore was puffy; and upon further inspection, stored miscellaneous snacks. Which was odd because the sweater already had five pockets: three on the outside and two on the inside. The student was constantly eating, drawing, or taking notes while eating. Little did everyone know that if not for the constant movement, they'd nod off like a computer in sleep mode.  
"Today, we'll be watching a documentary of the monster-," Ambush cringed at the adjective. Lloyd wanted to cover his eyes, the moment the lights shut off, they'd all see his eyes, well, if they bothered to look at him.   
"-That wrecks havoc to our peaceful city, Lord Garmadon," He turned on the rickety projector, "Mr. Garmadon, you mind getting the lights?"  
The class chuckled, all but seven, including Lloyd.  
Lloyd sat up, "Sure," he was expecting the room to become pitch black, but, well, the windows were still open, basking the room in a cool, pale indigo for those who could see UV light, and for the rest a soft daffodil hue. Lloyd never thought about why the world was so Blue with a capital B (it was really more a periwinkle for you art students out there). Things just were the way they were, no need to think about that Person that might've influenced it due to those shared genes. He rested his head on his desk as the movie- documentary- about that warlord played on. He tuned it out and began to doze off.  
"Lord Garmadon has been around for at least a century conquering all of Ninjago to make in his image."   
'Blah, blah, blah.'  
"With at least one documented child, and control over approximately 79.8% of Ninjago as of recording,"  
'Yeah, no, I'm tuning this out.' It wasn't long before he began to drool on the wood.  
The slam of a ruler to his desk woke him up, "I said: Mr. Garmadon, how did the depiction of Lord Garmadon make you feel?" He went instinctively into a fighting position before he remembered himself.  
Scratching the back of his head, "Uh, nothing? It's not like I know him personally, he's just some guy that invades the city every few days. Can I be excused?"  
He sat outside the door with his face in his hands. He didn't feel like he was 100%, in fact, he felt like his stomach or something was cramping.  
Once in the cafeteria, he used some of his spare change to buy a bag of chips, no, jerky—no, protein bar.  
"Ah! All of the above, whatever!" Why was he craving food all of a sudden? He shouldn't be this hungry, no matter, he should stop thinking about that and just eat. It all went by in a blur of salt and vinegar. At the end of it, he didn't feel full; he just felt hungrier.  
His phone began to ring again, he wilted and answered on the third buzz, "What?" He wanted to set his phone down and curl into a ball.  
"I see you're not in a classroom, are you skipping?"  
"I'm not! I just, don't feel g-," he cut himself off, what's the matter with him? Don't tell the evil warlord about weird cramps, he's not going to get it. Or would he? Lloyd, focus! He struggled to keep his eyes open as he rubbed his sides with his right, then left hands. He got to his feet, he should go to the nurse's office, maybe he could get some free crackers out of that and some water. He was so thirsty. He ended up forgetting he was on the phone with somebody as his focus narrowed to only his objective to getting to the nurse's, it wasn't too far.  
"Hey! La-loyd, I called because work is so boring with all the bangings. La-loyd? Am I muted? Your father is talking!"  
"Huh? You, uh," his head ached from the fluorescent lights, "not a good time," was all he mustered before hanging up again.  
"What's the problem, Lloyd?" The nurse was always kind, he hated how he could never remember her name.  
"I don't know, I'm just cramping, hungry and my head hurts an' thirsty an'-," she plopped a thermometer in his mouth and swiftly took it out, she frowned at the reading.  
"Lloyd, please sit upright, I'm going to take your blood pressure." He held his arm out as she strapped on the blood pressure cuff.  
"How's it looking, doc?"  
"Well, your temperature is 99.4, that's not an infection but, judging by your current hypertension, I can tell you're not well."  
"Yeah, I don't feel well."  
"How about you rest on one of those beds there, I'll pull the curtain for you. Perhaps you can sleep this off." Lloyd was out like a light.

The call came to Koko's work number at her office station, "Hello? Is this Misako Garmadon?"  
"Please, just call me Koko."  
"Miss Garmadon, your son came into my office pale and feverish. He passed out as soon as his head hit the mattress. I've called his teacher to let him know where he is and that he's resting, but I still need to know what's going on."  
"Lloyd's been going through some changes lately. It must be catching up to him, I'll need to make a call, can I put you on hold? I have to start my break first."  
"Sure thing."  
She stared at the newest number she had in her contacts list and gathered herself.  
She ground out, "Kabuto,"  
"Kokes, why are you calling? Is this about La-loyd?"  
She clenched her jaw, "Why would you think that? Have you been calling him?"  
"Who? Me? Not really, that boy doesn't even bother to speak to me half the time."  
"Something's happening to him, he isn't going to die, but I, no one knows what's going on with him. If I share his symptoms with you, will you give me a straight answer?"  
"Whuh- of course! Why wouldn't I?"

Lloyd woke up a few hours later to his mother pacing anxiously.  
"Mom?"  
"Oh, Lloyd, you're awake. I was wondering how long you'd sleep. I need to have some talks with the school." Was he asleep long?  
"About?"  
"It's not a big deal, you just are going to need some accommodations while this is happening and after."  
"After what?"  
"Don't stress too much about it, I'll tell you later, you need to focus on eating and rehydrating."  
"Wait, did you take time off?" Lloyd didn't want to burden her with his weird problems.  
"Don't worry, I was saving up."  
"Do you know what's happening to me?"  
"I might, there'll be a guest over tomorrow to look at it."  
"Oh, um, okay?" Lloyd yawned and took a gulp from his water bottle.  
Lloyd was rubbing his eyes when there was a loud knock on the door. Koko grimaced before dashing to meet the person on the other side.  
"Kabutomushi," he was in a beige trenchcoat. The coat was tailored to have four arm sleeves; underneath, he was shirtless and in a pair of maroon workout pants.  
"It's 1 am what are you doing here right now," she whisper-shouted.  
He tried to weasel his way inside, "I said I'd be here tomorrow, didn't I? It's tomorrow!"  
"Keep your voice down," she locked the door after Garmadon entered.  
"Why? Did you not tell him?"  
"I'd rather not have him stressing about it."  
Garmadon approached Lloyd's room, "The growth might be accelerated, I'll need to get a look."  
"I have work tomorrow, if I find out you hurt him," she grabbed a knife off the counter and pointed it at him, "I'll gut you like a fish."  
He chortled, how he missed her, "Nothing's going to happen, I swear."  
She rolled her eyes, "It better not. Lloyd's getting an MRI in the morning, it's up to you if you come or not. If you do, you'll have to be disguised."  
"Yeah, I got that, Kokes, come on, he's my son too, you can trust me."  
"I want to," she turned around and left him in the silence of the living room. How familiar.

Lloyd was eating ramen and watching ViewTube on his phone.   
Lloyd didn't look up when Garmadon walked in, "Oh, hey, Mom, these guys are making swords out of obsidian!"  
"Really, let me see," Lloyd jolted at the voice.  
"Am I having a night terror?"  
"No," he grinned and moved to sit beside him on his bed.  
"What are you-," he groaned, "Oh no, are you who mom said was coming tomorrow?"  
"Yes," the teen put his face in his hands, "Ugh, why?"  
"Do you want the long answer or the short answer?"  
"Uh, short?"  
"Your arms are growing in," he tapped the sore spot under his armpit. He jerked back.  
"Arms? Like," he swallowed, "Never mind, don't tell me."  
"Arms like mine, yes. It might take you some time to get used to them, but that's why you're getting accommodations at your school."  
Lloyd wilted and ate more of his noodles, Garmadon watched him for a moment before deciding to start conversation again, "So, I have a tailor who can make you some shirts?"  
Lloyd didn't respond, only ate more of his food.  
"Is there a color or fabric you want? Your mom wants me to have some made for you so you don't feel so awkward at school. So, do your old man a favor and tell me what you want. If you don't, I'll just pick for you and that'll just be floral and shark print."  
"Green,"  
"What's that?"  
"I'll take green shirts, maybe a hoodie (also green). No cotton."  
"Okay, let me just," he held out his smart phone and begun to text, "send the message out: "Green shirts and hoodies, don't forget the pajama shirts. Done."  
"Great," Lloyd exaggerated for the sake of sarcasm.  
"Yup. You see, in order to make the shirts, you have to buy two at a time."  
"Makes sense."  
"Aren't you going to thank me?"  
"I'm not going to thank you for something you were going to do anyway, that's like asking me to thank you for brushing your teeth."  
"Hm, but I let you choose?"  
"And? If I didn't like them, I just wouldn't wear them or dye them myself."  
"Well, if the small talk is over, who's the lucky guy- or person," he amended.  
"What?"  
"Who do you hate? Those arms aren't growing in for no reason, you know. You hate someone enough to kill them, so who is it?"  
Was that what this was? His body was preparing him for battle?   
"Mine was my idiot brother, Wu; now, tell me who you loathe. Are you being bullied at school? I could try to find you a volcano, or you can use mine-,"  
"No! I'm not blasting anyone out a volcano! I'm not you! I'm so sick of being defined by you, of all people! My whole life, I've just wanted to be treated like a normal person. When they look at me, all they see is Garmadon Jr., Garmadon's boy, never just me." He felt compelled to keep talking, he had so much emotion on this topic, yelling at him seemed like the only way to get it out.  
"Did you even care before yesterday? You've had fifteen years to be a part of my life. Do you even care now? Am I just a pawn to you, huh!?"  
That really depended on some things, but-  
"Answer the question(s)," Garmadon's mouth opened in an "o" shape as the pieces clicked.  
Lloyd panicked instinctively as he reached out, "What're you- don't touch me," grabbing the boy's shoulder and pulling him into a loose hug. He wasn't used to giving them. While he was scouting for a General No. 1, he knew how it felt to be neglected by a father.  
"I should've been there for you, you're right to be angry at me. You're right to be mad at me for trying to take over Ninjago too. If you broke into my volcano with sticks of dynamite trying to bomb the place, I'd be rightfully pissed. This is your home, and I keep destroying it."

**Author's Note:**

> actual time of writing: 12/1/2020  
> This fic and parental problems is why I can't write without experiencing severe déjà vu. ~~I consider the flashback to be canon to LL lol.~~


End file.
